Better Days
by Zakwolfe
Summary: Carl has never had an easy life and since arriving at Alexandria his life has gotten more complicated. Adjusting has been hard for him but after meeting someone like him, he founds out he isn't alone. Follows Season 5 with a few timeline changes.
1. Chapter 1: The First Meeting

**The First Meeting**

So this is my first attempt at Walking Dead fan fiction. Decided to write about my favorite character, Carl, while also introducing my own character to TWD universe. I really hope you guys enjoy it cause I put a lot of effort and thought into this. This story is my baby and I hope you guys are as proud of it as I am. Plus, who doesn't love Carl? ;P

The story starts with Carl on his way home from the Anderson's after meeting Ron, Enid, and Mikey.

_  
Carl made his way through the streets of Alexandria after spending time hanging out with Ron and his friends. He still couldn't believe he was just playing video games not long ago. A luxury he thought was long gone. It was hard to imagine a place like this existed, but here he was. All these people going on like the world never ended. Like the dead weren't walking outside these walls.  
He was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the voice call out.  
"You must be Carl."  
Carl began to look around for the location of the voice, not seeing anyone.  
"Up here." The voice called out again.  
Carl looked up at one of the houses. On top of the roof he noticed someone sitting there, looking at him. The voice came from a boy that couldn't be much older then he was. He had on a white tank top and tan cargo pants. On top of his long dark brown, almost black hair was a blue and gold hat with a logo on the front of what he assumed was some sports team. It was then he realized that this must have been the boy that Deanna mentioned in his interview. The one that was out there since the beginning, just like him.  
"It's nice to finally meet you. It's refreshing to see someone who has the same face as me." The boy said.  
"Huh?" Carl asked. Same face? What was he talking about?  
"A face that has seen what is really on the other side of those walls." The boy adjusted the hat on his head. "Sorry, the name is Lucas Grey. I was the new guy until you guys got here. Been here probably a month now but I stopped keeping track of the days."  
"So you were out there as long as we were?" Carl asked, eyeing him with interest.  
"Since the beginning, like you. That is why this place is so hard to believe. Yet here it is. Everyday I feel like I'm going to wake up and be back outside those walls, fighting off roamers. Sometimes I feel like those walls are going to come crumbling down and the roamers will come to us. I still reach for my knife at sudden noises even though there are no dangers here." Lucas said, sighing at the end. "Don't mind my paranoia. You have enough things on your mind right now."  
Strange, Lucas thinks the same as him. But then again they both know what life is like outside the walls of Alexandria. It was then that Carl felt a sudden connection to this other boy.  
The boys just looked at each other for a few moments in silence before one of them finally spoke.  
"Where are you headed if you don't mind me asking." Lucas asked.  
"I was on my way back to the house." Carl said, having a problem getting out the word house. "I was at the Anderson's."  
"With Ron I presume? Was Enid there as well?"  
"Um...yeah. She was there. Ron said she was out there like we were."  
Lucas nodded. "Yeah, she was. I think those two are together. Shame now that I see you. You'd make a cuter couple."  
Carl was slightly taken aback by the statement. "With her?" He asked.  
Lucas let out a small smirk at Carl's reply. "Sure."  
Carl felt his cheeks warm a little, not entirely sure what Lucas meant by that. He was certainly interesting though, different from the ones he has met so far. The teen was at least glad there was someone more like him in Alexandria. They were both outsiders so at least he wasn't alone.  
"Hey, um... Do you mind if I walk with you back to your place?" The other boy asked, his tone changing a little with the question. Carl could sense a little loneliness in his voice. He couldn't blame him when he thought about it. He had come in with his family while Lucas came in by himself. He had to have felt alone here.  
"Um...sure." Carl responded. Carl then thought he noticed a smile on Lucas face as he stood up from the roof.  
"I'll be right down then." Lucas turned and headed through the window he must have came out off. About a minute later, Lucas came out the front door. He walked over to Carl and it was there that Carl noticed his crystal blue eyes. They surprised him and slightly distracted him for a moment. "Might as well get walking."  
The boys began to walk the streets of Alexandria, heading back to the house that Carl and his dad were given to live in. Most of the walk was quiet, Carl looking the place over still trying to take it all in. This place just could not be real. He looked over at Lucas and noticed the other teen was looking at him, not sure how long he was.  
"This place is real, Carl." Lucas said, seeming to read Carl's mind. "I can see it in your eyes. You don't believe this place. I felt the same when I got here. But after all I have seen here...I just have no reason to believe this isn't real. There is something here. This place can be a home. A place where you don't have to worry about the dead. Where kids can grow up and actually be kids. Where you can have families and relationships. Where you can live and not just survive."  
Carl listened to his words and took them all in, actually being calmed a little by them.  
Before Carl knew it they were back at the house. Lucas turned to face Carl.  
"I'll see you around, Carl. You can relax here but just do me one favor." Lucas told him. "Don't let this place make you weak."  
With that Lucas turned to leave, leaving Carl there by himself. He stood there for a moment before making his way inside and upstairs to his room, laying down on his bed. His mind running wild with his thoughts but Lucas' last words resonating in his head.  
"Don't let this place make you weak."

Sorry the first chapter is short. It was more of an introduction than anything else. It gets longer from here on out. I tried to follow the show as much as I could but I did make a few timeline changes and a few other minor changes. I welcome your comments and suggestions to help improve my story as much as I can.

Oh, for reference. Carl is 16 since they never explain his age in the show. In my story they spent a few years at the prison.


	2. Chapter 2: The Party

**The Party**

Well, here is chapter 2. Like I said, the chapters get longer from here as we get more into the story. Enjoy! :)

Carl didn't see Lucas after that first meeting but he had enough of a problem adjusting to life in Alexandria that he didn't think much of it. Though, it would have been nice to talk to him because he went through the same thing.  
Plus, he had something else to worry about today. Tonight was the big party that Deanna was throwing for them to welcome them to Alexandria. That meant one thing. He would have to socialize and the thought of that terrified him. It was bad enough with just Ron and two other teens but all of Alexandria? He shivered just at the thought. And to make it worse it was only a few hours away.  
"Hey, Carl. Are you okay?" His father asked.  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Carl lied.  
"No you're not."  
"Then why did you ask if you already knew, dad?" Carl replied, sounding more aggressive than intended.  
"You look just like you did when we brought all those people back from Woodbury. You're nervous about the party and having to talk to these people, aren't you?" His father nailed it right on the head. "You had a hard time talking with the people from Woodbury at first. It just took time, remember?"  
Carl shook his head at his father's words. This wasn't like the prison. It just wasn't. "This is different. These people are...different." The teen protested.  
Rick just simply sighed. "Everyone will be there, Carl. You won't be there alone."  
"Bullshit, I bet Daryl won't be there."  
Rick let out a small laugh. "No, you're probably right. It's probably a safe bet that Daryl won't be there. But that doesn't mean you're allowed to not go."  
"Why?" Carl argued. "If Daryl is allowed to be antisocial then why can't I?"  
"Because I said so, Carl." Rick said in his stern fatherly voice. "You'll be fine. Just give it time." He placed his hand on his son's shoulder to comfort him. Carl shrugged and gave in, knowing his dad was going to make him go no matter what he said.  
"Alright, dad." Carl said. It was going to be a long night and he already wished it was over.  
"Why don't you go take a shower? It's time to start getting ready and a shower might calm you down. I have to go check on Judith."  
Carl nodded and made his way upstairs. Like a shower was going to make him calm down, ha!  
Showers. Another one of those luxuries he thought was long gone. Sure, they had showers at the prison but that was more like just dumping water on yourself. The last hot shower he remembered was back at the CDC all that time ago.  
As he walked into the bathroom he heard his baby sister laughing in the other room. His dad must have been playing with her. He made sure he had everything he needed for his shower, got undressed and got in. He turned the faucets until it was at a temperature he liked and just let the water hit him. He wasn't going to lie, the water did feel nice. Really nice to be honest but his mind just kept wandering. Talking to people about things that had nothing to do with walkers or surviving? How was he supposed to do that?

Carl eventually finished his shower and got dressed in his room. He just waited for his dad to call him, laying in his bed as he tried to think how this night was going to go.  
"Carl! Time to get going!" He heard his dad call up to him after a few minutes.  
Carl got out of his bed and put on his brave face and made his way downstairs to where Rick and Judith were waiting.  
"Ready?" His father asked.  
Carl shrugged at the question. "Ready as I'll ever be."  
Before Carl knew it they were out the front door and on their way to Deanna's house. On the way they passed close by to Lucas' house. He didn't see Lucas on the roof like the first time but he thought he saw a light on in the house.  
"So maybe he was home and not at the party?" Carl thought. Probably felt the same as him. The teenager felt a little disappointed but he couldn't figure out why. Well, maybe Enid would be there. They were similar as well.  
When they arrived at Deanna's house Carl felt his nerves hit again. He tried to calm himself but failed as they walked inside.

The party was a nightmare as he thought it would be. Carl tried his best to stay by his dad but eventually he walked off and told him to go socialize. Even if Carl tried to stay by someone in his group it didn't last because they would always walk off as well. He was by himself most of the time because Judith was with his dad but that may have been a blessing. Whenever he had Judith he was the center of attention which was the opposite of what he wanted to be.  
The people were all nice to him but as soon as one of them started talking to him he would blush, his palms would get sweaty or he'd start shaking and would quickly excuse himself and find another room. Even Ron tried to get him to hang out with some of the other teens but even that didn't work and he had to leave the area. This went on for a while and he eventually found himself near the front door. The urge was big to just walk out and go back to the house to hide, regardless of the wrath he'd probably face from his father. The teen kept thinking of leaving when the door opened and inside walked another teen.  
Lucas Grey.  
Carl actually felt a little relieved when he walked in. Now at least he wouldn't feel like the only outcast in here.  
He saw that Lucas had on a white button up shirt with a wolf on the back with the word "Loyalty" over it. He also had a pair of blue jeans on and the same sneakers he had on yesterday. On top of his hair (which was actually slicked back tonight) was the same blue and gold hat he had on when he met him.  
Lucas walked in and looked around and quickly noticed Carl. When their eyes met Lucas seemed relieved as well and started to walk towards him.  
"Well, I'm glad you came, Carl. Now I won't have to feel like an outsider by myself." Lucas said giving a quick dry laugh.  
Now that Carl was able to get a good look at the other teen he could tell there was something wrong with him. Had he been crying? Lucas didn't seem like the kind who cries. He definitely didn't seem like the kind who'd want to talk about it if he did.  
"I didn't think you would be here." Carl told him.  
"To be honest, I didn't plan on coming." Lucas replied after a few seconds. "But something told me to come so I put on the nicest clothes I could find and found my way here."  
"Hey, Carl. Are you doing okay?" It was Maggie. He hadn't seen her all night but he was glad to see her now.  
"Yeah, I'm okay." That was partially true but he wasn't going to try and explain the whole situation to her.  
"Who's this?" Maggie asked looking over at Lucas, this being the first time she has seen him.  
Lucas looked back at Maggie and gave a slight bow but Carl could tell that he was a little nervous. "My name is Lucas Grey. I was pretty much the new guy until you guys got here."  
"You were't here from the start?"  
"Yes, Ma'am. I've only been here for about a month." Lucas answered, same thing he told Carl. "Started in Rochester and found my way here."  
Rochester? He came all the way from Rochester?  
"New York?" Maggie sounded a little bit surprised. Carl was as well to be honest.  
Lucas just simply nodded at Maggie then looked over at Carl. "Figured that D.C. was the safest place so I came down here and stumbled upon this place."  
There had to be more to it then that because that wasn't a short or easy trip in this world, especially if it was on foot. Not to mention that if he has only been here about a month then he had to have held up somewhere like Carl had. Carl wanted to ask about it but he didn't think it was a good time right now.  
"Maggie. Can I speak with you for a quick moment." Carl heard Deanna from the other room.  
"Excuse me, guys. I'll see you later, Carl." Maggie said then turned to walk away, heading to the room where she heard Deanna call her.  
It was just the two of them again, left alone by everyone else. But at that moment Carl had no idea what to say so he just threw something out there.  
"Um, you want to meet the rest of the group? Judith and my Dad?" Carl asked.  
"Actually, Carl. I kind of just want to talk to you right now if that's okay." Lucas replied catching Carl off guard. "Mind if we talk outside? Just too many people in here and I get uncomfortable around a lot of people."  
Carl looked around for his dad but he was no where in sight. "Sure, just as long as we don't go too far."  
Lucas smiled slightly. "The front steps work." He said then made his way out the door, followed by Carl. They sat on the steps about a foot apart from each other and just sat in silence for a few moments.  
Lucas broke the silence.  
"This place is really unbelievable." Lucas said looking around at the houses. "Most of these people have no idea what life is like outside those walls."  
Carl sat there and listened to his words, just letting him talk.  
"Most of the time I hate them for their ignorance. Not knowing what we went through and talking to us like nothing ever happened." The teen sat there for a few moments then sighed. "But then again I envy them for the blessing they got."  
"I think it's a curse." Carl finally spoke. "They're weak. I don't want to become weak like them."  
"That's the problem with this place. It's safe enough to relax, but you just never know what's going to happen. I think we are the same on this that a lot needs to change here."  
Lucas was right and his whole group saw it as well. Things had to change and he knew his father was going to do what he could to make sure of it. While Lucas was making a point, Carl wondered if this is what Lucas brought him out here to talk about.  
"You're right...but is that all you wanted to talk about?" Carl asked but actually did not even intend to say it. Something inside him forced him to speak. Lucas looked over at Carl and laughed.  
"Sorry, I have a knack for doing that and that was just the easiest thing to bring up. I'm just not used to having someone to talk to that's my age. Heck, someone that was out there like me. I've been by myself for so long. That's what I really wanted. Just someone to talk to that knows how life is now. Enid was the only one I could talk to but she's never here it seems like."  
Someone to talk to? So that was the reason. Again, he couldn't blame him for that when he wanted the same thing. They had practically nothing in common with anyone in Alexandria except for Enid. They were probably the most similar people here now that Carl thought about it. He just didn't know how similar they truly were.  
"But the question is...what do we talk about?" Lucas asked with a sigh. "I was never good with small talk or anything that doesn't include those things on the other side of those walls."  
Carl sat there and looked at Lucas who had his head down slightly. He wasn't sure what to say. What do you talk about with someone who has spent just as much time as you outside the walls that doesn't involve walkers? Carl wasn't really able to think of anything so they just sat in awkward silence again but the thought of asking him how he got here from Rochester crossed his mind.  
About a minute later Lucas finally broke the silence again.  
"Um...alright. I think I got something. What's with the sheriff's hat I've seen you wearing?" Lucas lifted his head and looked at Carl.  
"M-My hat?" Carl asked. Of all the questions, that's the one that he asked? Then again, it was better then nothing so he answered. "It was my dad's hat. He was the sheriff's deputy back home in Georgia before the outbreak. He gave it to me after I woke up from being shot."  
Lucas looked surprised when Carl said he was shot. "You were shot? Where?"  
Carl pointed at his side where the bullet hit him and Hershel pulled the fragments out. This caused him to remember the farm that seemed so long ago. "I saw a deer then the next thing I remembered was waking up in bed. My dad gave me the hat not long after that."  
"Wow, must have left quite a scar." Lucas said then looked ahead instead of at Carl.  
"Yeah." Carl replied. "What about your hat? Is there a story about it?"  
Lucas lowered his head then took his hat off his head and just held it in his hands, looking at the front of it, running his thumb across the logo. The teen took a deep breath then let it out. "Yeah, there is a story about it." Lucas finally said.  
"Like yours, my hat was my dad's. He had it when he was a kid. He grew up in Buffalo and was a big Sabres fan. His first Sabres game was during the '75 finals and my grandfather bought him the hat the same day. They won that night in a crazy game." Lucas started explaining but looked like he had a problem getting the words out. "I was always wearing it as a kid and on my eleventh birthday he gave it to me as a gift. It was one of the greatest days of my life."  
Carl listened to his story but as he talked Carl had a feeling that there was a lot that Lucas wasn't telling him. Not to mention the slight tang of sadness he heard in his voice. What did Lucas go through before Alexandria?  
The two boys ended up just sitting there enjoying the break from reality and the quiet of the night. They could hear the party still going on back inside the house, not knowing how much time had passed before the boys started speaking again.  
"You should probably get back inside." Lucas said. "They're probably looking for you."  
Carl looked surprised and a little nervous at the thought of going back in. "What about you?"  
The teen replied with another sigh. "I'll be in in a moment but I don't think I'll stay long. Too much stuff on my mind and too many eyes on me."  
Carl was a little disappointed but Lucas had a point. They couldn't spend all night out here when his dad wanted him to socialize with the Alexandrians "Alright, guess I'll see you later." He said standing up.  
"Yeah." Lucas said then as Carl turned to go back in Lucas spoke once more. "Hey, Carl. If you ever have a night when you can't sleep, I'm usually up late either on the roof or something along those lines. You're um...more then welcome to come over and join me. That roof above the porch is a good spot to collect your thoughts when you want to think and to clear them when you don't."  
Lucas mumbled something else that Carl wasn't sure on but he thought he heard something about enjoying the company. "I'll remember that." Carl told him and was actually thankful for the offer. He already had times when his mind wouldn't stop racing and prevented him from getting sleep, Lucas must have been the same.  
Carl opened the door and walked back inside, already feeling the nerves hit him again. Why didn't his nerves act up when talking to Lucas? Was it because they were alike or a different reason? He fought through it and made it through the rest of the party making no real progress with the people of Alexandria.

Another chapter down and now I'm able to get more into things. I felt like this is how Carl should have been in the show when it came to social situations and I just played a little more on how Carl acted when he met Ron and co. As I said, I welcome all comments, suggestions, and also questions.


	3. Chapter 3: Rough Night

Glad to see you decided to keep reading. :) I am nothing without you readers. Here is chapter 3 of what I hope is shaping into a story you are enjoying.

Rough Night  
The next two days were uneventful which Carl was glad for after having what he felt like was millions of little panic attacks at the party the other night. He spent the day watching Judith and reading comics. He was still getting used to Alexandria but he was much more comfortable than he was the first two days.  
Well, only when it came to not talking with people. That was still a slow process. They've been here a few days now and the list of people he could talk to without problem was embarrassingly short. One person he wanted to talk to was Enid but she was always climbing over the wall and disappearing and when she was there she barely said a word to him. "She really doesn't like me." He thought. What was worse was that she was the only girl around his age with no sign of any more coming anytime soon. Plus, Ron had already scooped her up in whatever kind of relationship they had. Yet, he still kept thinking of her.  
Then there was Lucas. The kid he had a lot in common with was the only one so far he felt comfortable talking to. Probably because he was just as uncomfortable talking to other people as he was. One of those things that came with spending years outside the walls surrounding Alexandria and having to grow up in this world.  
There was also Aaron, the one who brought them to Alexandria. He could handle talking to him but Aaron knew what was on the other side so it wasn't that big of an improvement.  
Carl laid in his bed alone with his thoughts. His eyes finally closed to sleep but his mind had other plans tonight.  
He saw his mom, smiling at him. She held Judith in her arms and beside her was his father who beckoned him closer. Carl started to walk forward to join his family. It wasn't till he got closer that things turned bad. He looked again at his mom who had a bullet wound in her head. He saw that Judith was not moving either, limp in her arms.  
"No!" Carl yelled.  
Just then they fell over, dead. Rick held Lori in his arms, his face in horror. He turned to look at Carl. "Carl, run!" At that moment a bullet wound appeared on his head and fell over dead.  
"No. No!" The teen screamed.  
Carl shot up in his bed, covered in sweat. His breath was heavy as he looked around his room. He put his hands to his face to wipe off the sweat and found out that he had tears in his eyes. "Another nightmare." Carl thought. He tried to lay back down but every time he closed his eyes all he saw was blood and death and no matter what he did he couldn't get the images out of his head. This was going to be one of those nights.  
Carl slowly sat back up and looked over at the clock. It was quarter to 12 which made Carl groaned, the sun won't be up for a while. He thought about what to do to maybe clear his thoughts and decided going for a walk would work best.  
The teen got out of bed and quickly got dressed, grabbed his hat and made his way out the door. He quietly walked down the steps careful not to wake anyone and went to the front door. He gently grabbed the handle and turned, slowly pulling the door open. Carl walked out the door, closing it behind him and started to walk again.  
"Where ya going, Kid?"  
Carl almost jumped out of his skin at the voice. He turned to face where the voice came from and his heart stopped when he saw who it was.  
There was Daryl sitting on the porch. Why he was there Carl had no idea but he didn't ask either.  
"I was go...going to take a walk." Carl stuttered, almost making it sound more like a question.  
"It's a little late for a walk, ain't it?" Daryl questioned.  
"I just need to clear my head. That's all."  
"Nightmares?" Daryl asked.  
Carl simply nodded though he didn't want to admit it. "Um, can you not tell my dad about this? He worries enough about me as it is." Carl asked, looking nervous.  
Daryl looked the teen over for a moment then just let out a breath. "I don't know what you're talking about, kid. I never saw you."  
Carl nodded his head in gratitude, relief in his eyes. He walked down the steps and began to make his way through the streets of Alexandria. It was peaceful at night, not a sound around him. Carl enjoyed the moment for a second before his muscles reacted for him. He tensed up and immediately started looking around for any danger. It wasn't until his hand reached for his knife that he realized what he was doing and where he was. All his hand found was his hip and there was no danger at all. Being along at night brought back all he learned outside the walls. Old habits die hard.  
He calmed himself and looked around at where he was and was surprised by it. He hadn't realized where his feet led him until he was right in front of it.  
Carl was in front of Lucas' house at 12 in the morning. The memory of what he told him at the party resurfaced. "I wonder if he is up." He thought then noticed a light on upstairs. He took a breath then walked up the steps and started to knock on the door.  
He waited a moment but heard no movement inside. A few seconds later he knocked again but this time turned to walk away after he did just seconds later. The teen was almost to the steps when the door opened and he heard a familiar voice.  
"Carl?" Lucas asked.  
Carl turned around and gave an awkward smile. "Yeah." He said quietly that Lucas may have not heard him. "I didn't wake you, did I?"  
Lucas laughed. "Wake me? Nah, I haven't even been to sleep yet." He replied. "What's up?"  
"I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and ended up here. Then I remembered your offer at the party the other day. Is it still on the table?"  
Lucas looked at him for a second then smiled. "Yeah, of course. Come on in." He said then moved over to allow Carl inside.  
The first thing Carl noticed inside was how similar Lucas' house was to their own but it looked like Lucas had moved all the furniture around with how some of it was positioned. Carl didn't say anything about it though.  
"Before we head up, you want a glass of water?" Lucas asked.  
Carl looked a little surprised but then thought about it. "Um, sure."  
Lucas nodded then turned to head into the kitchen. "Oh, before we go upstairs, could you do me a favor? Could you take your shoes off and carry them until we get to the roof?" He asked.  
Carl gave him a puzzled look. It was a strange favor to ask for but it was his house. The teen knelt down and started to remove his shoes.  
"Thank you. Sorry, it was a house rule my dad had. Guess I just inherited it." Lucas sighed. "I'll grab that glass of water for you."  
Carl finished taking his shoes off as Lucas left for the kitchen. Carl could hear him open and close a cabinet then the water running. He held his shoes and waited for the other boy to come back. Lucas returned a few seconds later with a glass of water in his hand.  
"Here you go." Lucas said handing Carl the cup of water.  
"Thanks." Carl took the glass with his free hand, smiling a little. That was still a little strange to him, getting a glass of water whenever he wanted.  
Lucas nodded then gestured to the stairs. They made their way up the steps, shoes in hand. Lucas led Carl to a room near the end of the hall that must have been a bedroom though Carl figured it wasn't Lucas' because it didn't look like it's been used in a while. Not to mention the lack of personal items and clothes in the room.  
Lucas walked over to a window and opened it. Carl followed after taking a quick sip of water. "You can put your shoes back on before we go out." Lucas said then held out his hand to Carl. Carl looked at it for a few seconds confused before he realized what Lucas was doing. Embarrassed, he handed Lucas the glass of water and bent down to put his shoes back on.  
After he finished that he looked at Lucas who stood beside the open window. Carl walked to it and slowly climbed out onto the roof. He took back the glass of water from Lucas then waited for the other teen to join him.  
Lucas climbed out a few seconds later and the boys sat down at the edge about 6 inches apart from each other, their feet hanging over.  
Carl sat there and drank from his water just trying to clear his head. He looked over at Lucas a few times who seemed to be in his own world right now just staring ahead. It wasn't long before Carl lost track of time sitting there. Lucas was right, sitting up here and just looking at the empty streets at night was calming.  
Carl took one more sip of water before speaking. "How much time do you spend up here?" Carl asked. He must have broke Lucas' concentration because he saw him jump a little then look at him.  
"How much time?" Lucas asked, making sure he heard him. "Hours."  
"Really?"  
"It's the one time I'm really relaxed." He said. "But now I have to ask, why were you taking a midnight stroll tonight?"  
Carl sighed, knowing the question was coming. "I hate to admit it but I get nightmares. Like really bad ones that stop me from going back to sleep." Carl said. "Which is ironic cause of the living nightmare we are living in. But I never dreamt outside the walls so it's strange."  
"No, we're the same. I get horrible nightmares here. Never got them outside cause I was never relaxed enough to fully sleep. Even when we were holed up somewhere I very rarely dreamt."  
"We?" Carl asked, hearing Lucas say it instead of I when he mentioned being holed up somewhere.  
"My family." Lucas replied sadly.  
"I'm sorry." Carl said, subconsciously placing his hand on Lucas' shoulder for a moment to comfort him but moved it off when he realized he did it. It didn't seem to bother Lucas though cause Carl noticed a slight smile.  
"No, it's alright. It happened long enough ago that I think it's time to talk about it." Lucas said. "And you're about the only person I can talk to anyway."  
Carl looked at Lucas, waiting to see if he starts talking again.  
Lucas took a deep breath then did begin speaking again. "When it started, I was with my dad, my uncle, and my little cousin." He said. "I'm here because of them."  
"What about your mom?"  
At the question Lucas reached to his neck and grabbed a cross between his finger and thumb. That was the first time that Carl noticed that necklace.  
"She died before all this. She never had to see the world go to hell." Lucas answered.  
Carl felt empathic towards Lucas, losing his own mother as well. "I know what it feels like to lose your mom. I lost mine during all this."  
"What happened?"  
"She died giving birth to my baby sister." He replied, remembering that day at the prison. "I had to shoot her so she didn't turn." His voice trailed off at the end.  
"Well, guess that is just another thing we have in common. We both witnessed the death of our mothers."  
"Yeah, guess so."  
They sat in silence again for a few moments before Carl had a sudden realization that Lucas must had noticed. It was a little chilly and Carl's idiot self only put on a shirt. What made him notice? The fact that he started shivering a little. Thoughts of his parents yelling at him to put a jacket on when he was younger crossed his mind.  
"Are you cold?" Lucas asked a little concerned.  
Carl shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He lied.  
"You're shivering. Let me go get you something." The teen said getting up and heading back inside.  
"No, I'm fine. Really." Carl replied quickly but Lucas didn't hear him. Or at least he didn't acknowledge it if he did. Carl sat there embarrassed of his dumb mistake and the fact that Lucas had to help him.  
Carl sat there in the cold as he waited for Lucas, staring at the park not far from here. He'd only been there once when he was exploring the second day he was here, the same day he met Lucas.  
The teen was surprised when he felt something being placed around him. He looked at it and realized it was a blanket. He turned and saw Lucas standing there with a half smile on his face.  
"There. That better?" Lucas asked sitting back down in his spot.  
"Yeah." Carl blushed, still embarrassed by the fact that he needed a blanket in the first place. "You didn't have to do that."  
"Nonsense." Lucas replied. "I won't let someone shiver here because they're cold when I have plenty of blankets and jackets in the house. I'd like to think my mom raised me a little better then that."  
Carl sat there and just let blanket warm him a little, looking over at Lucas every few moments. His mood was a bit different then it has been the other two times they've talked.  
"You know, I talked to Enid today." Lucas said.  
"Enid? Really?" Carl asked.  
"Yeah. Caught her coming back from wherever she goes. She asked about you?"  
Carl's eyes shot open when Lucas said that. "She did? I got the feeling she didn't like me."  
Lucas sighed. "No, I think you definitely interest her. We're all different then the rest of the kids here."  
"Well, doesn't she interest you? Like where she goes for one." Carl asked, wrapping the blanket a little tighter around him with his free hand.  
"Not really. She never took much interest in me. At least, not like she is in you."  
Carl wasn't expecting to hear that Enid was interested in him. Maybe he should try and follow her again when she climbs the wall once more. Hopefully Ron doesn't find out that he follows his girlfriend.  
"Hey, Carl. Can I say something?"  
Carl looked over at Lucas again not saying anything, waiting for him to speak.  
Lucas took a deep breath, seeming as if he was collecting his thoughts. "I don't know why I'm so comfortable talking to you. It feels like I've known you forever. Which is really strange cause this is only the third time we've talked." Lucas told him. "What that means? I have no idea. Maybe it's fate that we met. Or maybe it's just something about you..."  
Lucas started to trail off at the end. Carl looked away with no idea of what to say at the moment. Lucas seemed to notice that he made the conversation awkward.  
"Sorry." He said then stood up. "I'll head back inside. Didn't mean to make things awkward. Enjoy the night."  
Just as Lucas turned to leave a thought shot through Carl. At that moment the thought of being alone terrified him. He didn't want Lucas leaving him to himself.  
"No." Carl said, raising his voice a little. "No, you're fine. It just...surprised me. That's all. Don't leave, please." Carl almost sounded like he was begging by the end.  
Lucas stopped and turned around, his eyes wide in shock. Carl once again noticed those crystal blue eyes again, this time staring right at him. Lucas slowly sat back down by the other teen.  
"Thanks." Lucas mumbled.  
The boys continued to look at each other and Carl felt like Lucas was staring into his soul with his eyes. Carl got so distracted by the eyes that his mouth spoke the thought in his head.  
"How are they that blue?"  
"Excuse me?" Lucas asked baffled by the question.  
"Your eyes." Carl replied, just now realizing what he said. "Dammit." He thought. How did that keep happening?  
Lucas looked at Carl, seeming to process the question. Then, Lucas gave a slight smile and chuckle. That actually gave Carl some relief and seemed to kill the awkwardness of the moment.  
"My Dad always said the same thing to me. With that same old smile on his face he'd go 'Lucas, you take so much after me. But, the three best things about you you got from your mother. Your hair. Your eyes. And your desire to help the ones you love.' and he point right at my hair and eyes. Then right at my heart." Lucas removed his hat when he finished speaking and just ran his thumb across it for a few moments. "God, I miss them so much."  
This time Carl meant to place his hand on Lucas' shoulder. He couldn't blame him for being upset. Carl knew what it's like to lose and miss a parent. He missed his mom everyday. Lucas had it worst though because he lost both his parents.  
Carl noticed Lucas' arm twitch, like he wanted to move it. Instead, Lucas looked back at Carl with sadness in his eyes but a small smile on his face. He sighed then put his hat back on his head. "Thanks for listening and not running off." Lucas said.  
"Thanks for being awake and allowing me in at 12 in the morning." Carl replied causing both boys to laugh a little. That laughing seemed to have removed the tone that was there and replaced it with a more lighter tone.  
"Hey, Carl? We're friends, right?"  
Carl looked at Lucas pondering the question. Friends? He's been so caught up with surviving that he never thought of friends. He didn't consider anyone in his group as friends because they were family to him. He never truly had a friend before even before the outbreak. At least not anyone he could remember. And now here he was with a kid his own age who has gone through a lot of what he himself had to go through asking if they were friends.  
"I guess we are. I don't see why not." Carl said.  
"I'm glad. I never had a friend before honestly. My little cousin was the closest thing to a friend I had. I never really got along with anyone at school and my parents eventually home schooled me. That and the world ending didn't really help either." Lucas shrugged. "Nice to have a friend in this world, especially when you got nothing else."  
"Yeah." Carl agreed then looked up at the night sky. He laid back still wrapped in the blanket and just relaxed. The teen looked over and noticed Lucas had laid back as well. Once again the boys lost track of time and Carl noticed himself getting tired.  
"I should get back. I have to try and get some sleep tonight." Carl said actually holding back a yawn.  
"Yeah, I should try as well." Lucas replied.  
Both boys stood up and headed back inside, removing their shoes and walking downstairs to the door. Carl handed the empty glass of water to Lucas, smiling a little. "Thanks for the water." He said then remembered the blanket still around him. "And the blanket."  
Lucas smiled as well and took the blanket off Carl as well. "Don't mention it. Thanks for the company."  
Carl nodded, adjusted his hat then opened the front door. "Guess I'll see you around." He said. Carl saw Lucas nod as he started walking out the door. He made his way down the steps and walked out onto the street. Carl heard the door close as he started walking home with no idea of what time it was. The sun wasn't coming up yet but he didn't know for how much longer.  
He got back to the house and noticed Daryl wasn't there anymore. He walked up the steps and slowly opened the door. Carl crept inside and towards the stairs.  
"Carl? Where have you been?"  
Carl's heart stopped and froze dead still. He turned his head and saw Michonne staring at him. Okay, Carl sucked at this sneaking out thing. He was caught twice, once leaving by Daryl and now by Michonne coming back. "Dammit!" he thought.  
Michonne walked over to Carl and crossed her arms. "Where did you go?"  
Carl felt a sweat coming on. "I um...went for a walk?" Carl replied.  
"Little late for a walk, Carl." Michonne said skeptical of the answer. He just went through this with Daryl and now he has to explain himself again.  
"Okay, I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk. Then I ended up at a friend's house and hung out there." Carl answered. He didn't realize he said the word friend until he finished the sentence and Michonne gave him a look of amazement. That was the first time he told someone he had a friend.  
"A friend?" Michonne immediately inquired. "You have a friend? Here? At Alexandria?"  
"Yeeeees?" Carl started to get a little nervous. Michonne was about to interrogate him now.  
"What's their name?" She started.  
"Lucas."  
"Your age?"  
"Yes."  
"Where is he from?"  
"Rochester."  
"Rochester? How long as he been here?"  
"About a month longer than us."  
Michonne finally started to slow down as if she was processing this new information. "Well, your dad will be glad to hear that you made a friend in Alexandria."  
"Yeah. Can we talk about it later. I really want to go to bed."  
Michonne looked at him then smirked. "Sure, but one more thing. It's late and you went over to a friend's house at this time. So is this a friend or a 'friend'?" She asked still smirking.  
"Huh?" He looked at her confused before he figured out what she meant. "Eww, no! For the love of God, I'm 16...I think." He protested.  
Michonne laughed at his reaction and how red his face got. "I know, that is why I asked. Maybe we'll skip this part when talking to your dad."  
Carl just looked at Michonne. He really didn't want to talk about this anymore. His eyes were actually starting to get heavy and he was ready to sleep. Michonne must have seen this because she stopped talking and just smiled.  
"Go, get some sleep, Carl." She said softly.  
Carl didn't need to be told twice. He slowly crept up the steps so he didn't wake his dad or sister and made it back to his room. He had only gotten his shirt off before collapsing on his bed and finally falling asleep.  
That night was probably the best sleep he had in a long time.

Well, there was chapter 3. We got to get more into Lucas this chapter. Also, I am thinking of working on a whole back story for Lucas before he got to Alexandria but that is in the distinct future and I still want to see if this story is liked enough to even do it. It's all on you as the reader. =^_^=


	4. Chapter 4: A Little Talk

Wow, I honestly wasn't expecting this many views. ^^" I really hope you guys are enjoying it. I'd love to hear what you guys think. I'm also hoping I've done Carl right by you guys so far. Well, here is chapter.4. Enjoy!

A Little Talk  
Carl woke up that morning with a yawn. He got out of bed and stretched and the first thing he noticed was his shirt on the floor. Carl had slept in his pants and shoes last night and didn't even noticed till he woke up. The teen had slept fully dressed before outside the walls so he was used to it. Still, he had never fallen asleep like that before so suddenly. His thoughts had always kept him up for a bit ever since his mom died.  
Carl pulled on a shirt and made his way downstairs. He walked into the kitchen where he noticed his dad in his constable uniform sitting at the kitchen table. He had expected his dad to have left already since Carl slept in a little today.  
"Morning, Carl. Glad to see you are finally up."  
"Morning, Dad." Carl replied. He made his way over to the cabinets and got what he needed to make himself a quick sandwich. "I thought you would be gone already."  
"Well, I wanted to talk to you before I left today." Rick said, his tone becoming a little serious. A tone that he didn't use often when it was just him.  
Carl turned around hoping that his face didn't show that he was nervous. "About what?"  
"Michonne told me she caught you sneaking back inside last night."  
Here we go. His dad was probably about to get on his case about this now.  
"Yeah, I went out last night." Carl admitted.  
"Well, honestly, I'm not worried about the sneaking out part. You are a teenager after all and that is a teenager thing to do." Rick sighed, looking at his son. "What I want to know is where you went and why you went out at all."  
"Michonne didn't tell you?" Carl asked which caused his dad to shake his head. "I couldn't sleep last night so I went for a walk. I ended up at a friend's house and I hung with him."  
Carl saw his dad look at him with a skeptical look on his face and Carl realized how suspicious his statement sounded.  
"A friend's house? In the middle of the night?" Rick asked. "You have a friend? In Alexandria?"  
"Yeah, actually I do. His name is Lucas." He said a little annoyed.  
"Lucas?" Rick asked, actually sounding astonished.  
"He is around my age, Dad. Plus, he's only been here a month longer than us."  
"And you can trust this Lucas?"  
"Dad." Carl said, slightly agitated. "I can handle myself. You don't need to worry about me."  
His dad looked at him seeming deep in thought for a second. Then, he nodded slowly. "You're right." He sighed. "I sometimes forget that you're not the same helpless child that you were when this all started."  
Carl saw his dad smile at him which caught Carl off guard.  
"I'm just glad you actually made a friend here. I honestly thought we were out there so long that you lost all social skills." Rick told him. "But you never really had social skills to begin with."  
Carl ignored the last half of what his father said when he replied. "Well, it helps that he is like me. We both have trouble speaking to these people." He sighed.  
"Well, like I said the other day, it just takes time. It's one step at a time. I know it's hard cause these people have been sheltered from the worse. Just have to find something to talk to them about which I know is easier said then done."  
The two just looked at each other for a few seconds, the conversation dying down.  
"I should get going." Rick said as he stood up. "Do you mind watching your sister today? Tara was going to but she is going on a run today with Glenn and Noah."  
"Of course." Carl replied. He didn't mind watching his sister at all. It's not like he ever had anything else planned and it at least gave him something to do.  
"You sure? You don't have anything planned to do today? I'm sure Carol wouldn't mind if you asked her."  
Carl looked at his dad with a face of amusement. "Come on, Dad. Me, plans? What could I possibly have to do?"  
His dad responded with face clearly showing he had to think about that. "I don't know. Typical teenage boy things?"  
What the hell were 'typical teenage boy things?' "What? I didn't know I even was a typical teenage boy." Carl told his dad.  
"Okay, you have a point." Rick shrugged as he walked over to his son and ruffled his hair. "I'll see you later, Carl. Love you."  
"I love you too, Dad." He smiled as his dad began to leave.  
"Try to stay out of trouble today." He heard his dad call out which made Carl smirk as he thought of his response.  
"Don't worry. I'll just be doing 'typical teenage boy things' today." He called back and even though he couldn't see his dad he knew he caused a smirk to arise on his dad's face.  
Carl heard the door close so he went back to the counter to finish making his sandwich then ate it on the go as he went to check on Judith. She was already up and began to coo happily upon seeing her brother. "Hey, Judy. You're stuck with me again today."  
The teen finished his sandwich then picked up his sister. "How about we go for a walk today? How's that sound?" He heard his sister babble something in response as she normally did, giving a slight giggle. That was enough of an answer for Carl.

After Carl finished getting both his sister and himself ready he put Judith into her stroller and began to walk the streets once again. A few of the Alexandrians waved and smiled at him as he walked by and some even came up and said hi to Judith. He was glad no real conversations came from it though as he continued on his way.  
"Hey, Carl." He heard a voice behind him. Carl turned and noticed Aaron walking up to him. "Afternoon."  
"Yeah." Is all Carl replied with which made him feel a little shitty but there was nothing to be done about it.  
"Hello, Judith. It's nice to see you again." Aaron said kindly and looking into the stroller. Carl heard Judith coo happily like she was happy to see him. Of course, she was happy to see pretty much anyone. It was then Aaron turned to look at Carl again. "Mind if I walk with you?"  
Carl thought about saying no but it would probably be best if he tried to have and keep a conversation. "Um, sure."  
"Thanks." Aaron said. "Just wanted to go for a little walk before I head out with Daryl today."  
The two walked the streets for a few seconds before Aaron started speaking again. "So how are you adjusting, Carl?"  
Here we go, conversation time. It was just Aaron though so he shouldn't have that much of a problem.  
"Still adjusting. It's just hard talking to these people." Carl said. "They're so..."  
"Sheltered?" Aaron asked, finishing Carl's sentence which Carl responded with a nod. "Yeah, Lucas and Enid were the same. They had a hard time adjusting and talking to people. Actually, Lucas was much worse. He's barely said anything since he's been here. At least until you guys got here."  
Carl looked at him a little puzzled which Aaron noticed.  
"He would always just sit on that roof or just stay in his house most of the time. That's why it was refreshing to see him out and about today."  
"You saw him?" Carl asked sounding a little excited.  
"Yeah. Actually, I just finished talking with him just moments before I caught up with you. I think you've helped him, Carl."  
"I doubt that." Carl sighed. "What did you guys even talk about?"  
Aaron lifted his head slightly in thought for a moment. "Let's see. We talked about some of the runs I've made recently. Talked about Eric and his knack for never knowing what he wants to make for dinner. We even talked about you. Quite a bit actually."  
Carl felt his cheeks warm a little. "Me? What about me?" Carl asked with a slight stutter.  
Aaron chuckled at Carl's reaction. "Well, we talked about how you two have seemed to kick it off which I'm not surprised. He even asked me what I thought about you. I told him initially what I thought when I was scouting you and your group."  
"And...what did you tell him?" Carl asked, embarrassed but intrigued.  
Aaron looked at him with a smile. "I told him you were a strong and brave young man who'd do anything to protect the ones you love. Same thing I thought about Lucas."  
Carl tried to look at Aaron but was unable to without his nerves acting up. He had to change the conversation somehow but he couldn't get Lucas out of his head.  
"There was something else he asked but that is for you to ask him about." Aaron said with another smile and Carl couldn't figure him out at all. What the hell did Lucas ask Aaron? "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Just wanted my opinion on something."  
Carl just looked at him and sighed. He knew he wasn't going to figure out what Lucas asked Aaron without actually asking Lucas himself so he gave up on it. Maybe Lucas would tell him next time he saw him.  
It wasn't long after that that Carl looked over and noticed they passed by the park but that wasn't what caught his interest. What caught his interest was Enid sitting next to Ron and Carl wasn't able to stop staring. Ron hadn't noticed him but Enid did and his face began to heat up as she looked at him with a blank face. Why the hell did Enid interest him so much? And where the hell did she keep running off to when she climbed over the wall. Every time he followed her, he ended up losing her. Then he remembered Lucas telling him that she asked about him and began to wonder what they talked about.  
Carl finally was able to pull himself away from looking and back to Aaron though he didn't know if Aaron noticed him staring or not. The problem was that the conversation died down again. The teen was once again going to use this as an excuse to split from Aaron but then his dad's words popped into his head that it took time. Carl quietly groaned and tried to start the conversation again.  
"Um, how is Eric?" Carl asked having difficulty asking the question. It was a slightly nerve racking moment but he got through it. He rememebered Eric from the night the group got split up on the road to Alexandria. He must have surprised Aaron with the question cause he stopped walking for a second.  
"He's good. His ankle is better but I've still been keeping him off it if it isn't important." Aaron said. "Speaking of my husband, I should probably be getting home to make sure he's still reading on the couch."  
Carl stopped walking as well as Aaron and just looked at him, waiting for him to speak again.  
"It was nice talking to you, Carl. I'll let you enjoy the rest of your afternoon with your baby sister." Aaron told him then turned to leave. "Oh, and Carl...I know you must think Enid is interesting, but maybe you should keep your eyes open. You never know what you might see."  
And with that Aaron left Carl there, confused. What the hell was he talking about? Did everyone here have to be so complicated and confusing? The teen stood there for a moment lost in his thoughts. Aaron must have seen him staring at Enid. He felt the heat rush to his cheeks again.  
It wasn't until he heard Judith starting to make noises that he broke out of his thoughts. Carl shook his head to regain himself a little before checking on his sister. "What's wrong, Judy? You hungry? Well, let's get some food in you." He smiled then found a spot to feed his sister.

Carl returned home a few hours later with Judy asleep. He had set her back in her crib then went to the living room to read on the couch for a while. He thought about the day he had with his sister and the talk he had with Aaron. Enid crossed his mind quite a few times and before he knew it he lost track of time.  
Next thing he remembered was hearing the door shut and footsteps inside. His dad must be home so he got up to find him. "Dad, that you?" He asked.  
He walked into the kitchen and saw his dad and Michoone. "Hey, Dad. You should have seen what Judith did today. She ma..." Carl stopped speaking as they turned to look at him. He knew something was wrong as soon as he saw their faces. "What's wrong? What happened?"  
"Carl..." His dad started in a tone he didn't want to hear. Worse then the tone he heard that morning. Carl felt his heart start to beat a little faster. Whatever happened, he knew it was bad. "There was a problem today."  
Michonne left the room as Rick started talking, the way she walked made Carl think that she was extremely upset.  
"It's Noah and Tara." Rick said, his voice heavy.  
Carl felt his heart stop for a second. "D...Dead?"  
"Noah. Aiden as well." Rick replied.  
"And Tara?" He asked, expecting the worst.  
"She's in a coma. We don't know if she will ever wake up."  
Carl wasn't even able to ask how. He opened his mouth to speak again but no words came out. The teen sat down in the nearest chair and just sat silently. His heart ached at the news of what he was just told. Carl never considered Noah family like the rest of the group but he was still one of them and they traveled all the way from Georgia together. Tara was a slightly different story. Tara had become family to him and the group and she was always nice to him and she would offer to help watch Judith if she could.  
"Can...can we go see her?" Cark asked, his voice shaky.  
"In a little bit. They're keeping a close eye on her right now and seeing what they can do." Rick replied.  
Carl looked down trying to collect his thoughts. "What about Glenn?"  
"He's hurt but he'll recover. Maggie is with him right now."  
At that moment Michonne walked back into the room. She remained silent as she walked to a chair and sat down.  
"I need some air." Carl shot up and started to walk to the door. He heard his dad say his name but he didn't stop. The teen almost flew out the door, walking out onto the porch. He leaned on the railing and took a few deep breaths and cursed under his breath. You'd think after all he has been though that this stuff wouldn't hurt anymore.  
It still did. And it hurt like hell. The only thing he has gotten better at was masking the pain.  
He started to think about Noah. He was still young and didn't deserve to die, no matter how. He wasn't aware of how Noah died, how gruesome and unnecessary it was. He thought how he was going to learn how to become an architect like Reg was. He still had a life to live.  
Then he thought about Tara. How close she had become to the group. How she had become family. Even Judith had started to take a liking to her. He hoped that she would get better and wake up.  
It was then that he noticed Enid walking by the house by herself. She stopped and looked at him for a few seconds then started walking again.  
Carl didn't follow.  
The teen turned and walked back inside, ignoring both Michonne and his dad and went straight up the steps and down the hall to his room. Carl shut the door behind him and collapsed on his bed. As he laid there his mind ran wild with thoughts.  
Then, he had a realization in that moment. He hated that he was alone.

Well, that was chapter.4. I know it wasn't as long as the previous 2 but still hoped you liked it. Don't forget, if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions just let me know. I welcome all. :) And thanks for reading, I mean it.


	5. Chapter 5: UpsideDownside

Well, here is the next chapter guys. Hope you guys are still following it. Don't forget to let me know what you think.

Upside/Downside  
The next day was strange. Carl didn't remember going to sleep last night nor did he remember dreaming at all. He sat up in bed and looked around, memory of what happened a few hours ago flood his brain.  
Carl got out of bed and got dressed, ready as he would ever be to start the day. He went to check on Judith and tell her good morning but she wasn't in her crib. "Dad must have her." He thought then went downstairs to make himself breakfast. He didn't see his dad but he saw Michonne. She still looked affected by the news from last night and didn't say much. She did tell him that his dad took Judith with him to talk with Carol about something.  
Carl finished his breakfast and said goodbye to Michonne before going outside.  
The whole mood of Alexandria that morning was somber as the news of what happened traveled within the walls. Deanna and her family were rarely seen that day as they mourned Aiden's death. While the whole group mourned Noah's death, Glenn took it the hardest of everyone because he witnessed it.  
Carl went to visit Tara early in the day. Eugene and Rosita were the only ones in there when he got there. They didn't say much to each other besides Carl asking if she was any better. Rosita told him that she hadn't moved at all and Carl thought that it looked like Eugene hadn't gotten much sleep. Then again, who did that night?  
Carl stayed there for about a half hour before he left and made his way back home. Michonne and his dad were gone for the day and Carol agreed to watch Judith for a while so Carl was on his own, not that he felt like doing anything. He simply sat on the couch in silence for a bit. Then something made him get up and look to the window.  
Outside he saw Enid climbing the wall again. Carl suddenly became determined as he saw her leave. He quickly grabbed his hat and rushed outside to follow her into the forest.  
Either he was able to find her or she just got tired of him following her cause she finally spoke up.

"Cool. You're afraid of me too."  
They stood there in that tree for what felt like forever before Carl felt like the coast was clear. His heart hadn't slowed down at all the whole time they were pressed together as they hid.  
"I think it's okay." He spoke quietly, slowly sliding out and looking around. He gestured to Enid that it was and she slid out as well and brushed herself off a little.  
The two teens stood there in silence for a moment as if they were seeing who would speak first.  
"Honestly, why do you keep following me?" Enid asked.  
"It's not safe out here." Carl replied.  
Enid looked at him slightly annoyed by his answer. "You said that already. Doesn't mean you have to follow me. I can handle myself."  
"You say that now." He replied in a tone barely above a whisper but loud enough that she heard.  
"I was out there like you if you don't remember. Besides, why do you care?"  
Carl was caught off guard by this question because he really didn't know why he cared so much. All he could do was shrug but tried to play it off by looking around pretending to look for threats. "We should head back now."  
"You can." Enid said then started walking off.  
Carl slightly panicked when she started to walk off away from Alexandria. That's when the words came out before he had the chance to think. "Why don't you like me?"  
Enid stopped but didn't turn around to face him. She stood silent for a moment, unmoving. "I never said I didn't like you, Carl. I told you, I'm afraid of you."  
"Afraid? Why?" He asked.  
"You're different." Enid replied. "You're not like everyone else."  
Carl looked at Enid when she said he was different from everyone else. He wasn't sure how to exactly take that comment. If it was a complement, an insult, or just simply a statement. He didn't ask her to clarify either.  
"Just go back."  
"No." Carl replied quickly and a little protectively.  
"Why?" Enid shot back.  
Carl didn't have a response again. Well, at least one that wouldn't make him sound insane. Enid turned to face him, waiting for him to answer.  
"I just...at least stay together for safety." He finally answered but sounded more like he was asking permission. If he couldn't get her to come back he could at least make sure she did make it back.  
"You're not going to leave, are you?" Enid asked, sounding like she was giving up. Carl replied by shaking his head. "Fine, but I don't see why you care so much. I'm not that interesting.  
Carl definitely didn't feel that way. He really interested her because she was different. It was the same with Lucas. Both knowing what was out here and how to survive. Both not like the rest of the people in Alexandria. That interested him. It was the same thing with Lucas.  
Enid sighed then started walking back to Alexandria, Carl following besides her. As they walked, Carl kept looking over at Enid wanting to talk to her but not really knowing what to say. Figures, he finally caught up with her and he didn't know what to say. Why did he suck so much at this?  
"What?" Enid asked not looking at him but must have noticed him looking at her.  
"What did you talk to Lucas about the other day?" Carl asked, saying the first thing that came to mind.  
Enid stopped and looked at him. "Huh?"  
"Lucas told me you asked about me. What did you ask him?"  
"What your problem was." She said before Carl could even finish his question.  
"W-what?" Carl asked, surprised at how she answered and at the answer itself.  
"I asked him what your problem was. Why you have to keep following me every time I come out here."  
"Because I don't want you getting hurt or killed. Is that so wrong?" Carl said.  
"Again, you barely know me." She said, slightly in a singsong voice.  
"I'd like to." Carl told her before he realized how that sounded then started to blush slightly.  
Enid didn't say anything else. She just started walking back to Alexandria. Carl watched her for a few seconds before following. "Why did I just say that to her? That's Ron's girlfriend I'm thinking about." Carl thought, mentally kicking himself.  
Carl got upset enough with himself that he almost didn't hear Enid say his name. He came back to the moment and noticed why Enid was trying to get his attention. Up ahead were three walkers who had noticed them and were stumbling their way towards them.  
Carl looked at Enid and drew his knife. "We can take them."  
Enid looked at him unsure but drew her knife as well, inching closer to Carl.  
As the first walker got close enough to Carl quickly got behind it and kicked the back of it's knees causing it to fall to the ground. As soon as it hit the ground Carl had his knife in it's skull.  
Close to that time Enid had managed to push another one against a tree to get it to fall over where she was able to stab it.  
Then Carl realized that the last walker was able to get up to Enid where it began to try and bite her. She struggled to keep it away from her, holding it off as best as she could.  
Carl quickly reacted and charged the walker, knocking it down and falling on top of it. The teen caught back hold of his knife and brought it down on the walker, ending the threat.  
He rolled off the corpse and began to catch his breath, noticing Enid doing the same thing. Then he noticed that he just saved her life and he barely knew her.  
"Um...thanks." She said, putting her knife away and walking once again to Alexandria.  
"Sure." He mumbled as he stood up. "Sure? Nice job, Romeo." He thought to himself. Carl brushed himself off and started walking back to Alexandria.  
Carl stayed a little behind Enid this time and watched her as they walked. He didn't take his eyes off her for more then a few seconds at a time. For some reason his protective instincts kicked in. All he wanted to do at that moment was make sure she didn't get hurt.  
Thankfully they made it back to Alexandria without anymore problems. But that changed when they got back in.  
As they walked back in they heard some commotion up ahead and they both ran up to it to investigate. What they saw caught Carl by surprise.  
He saw his dad fighting with Pete, Ron's dad. Then he saw Jesse nearby and knew the fighting had to be about her. Jesse then moved to stop them from fighting and all she got was a hit from her husband. That is when Rick was able to get the advantage again. Carl knew this needed to stop so he ran up and tried to pull his dad off Pete.  
"Dad, get off!" He told him but before he knew it he was pushed back onto the ground. He got up and watched the rest of the scene unfold, powerless.

When it was all over and they took both his dad and Ron's dad away Carl stood there confused. Why did his dad always have to get like this? He stood there after Enid had helped him up and they just looked at each other.  
Carl looked around and noticed another teen looking at the two of them.  
It wasn't Ron or Mikey. No, it was Lucas and the look that he had on him confused Carl even more. He looked hurt from where he was but Carl didn't know why. That is when he felt a slight squeeze on his shoulder and looked to see Enid had her hand on it. He didn't know how long it was there but it wasn't there much longer after the squeeze.  
Then, without saying anything, Enid turned and left leaving Carl there alone. Well, he wasn't really alone because there were a few Alexandrians still standing there discussing what happened but they didn't pay him any attention really. Though, He did see one of them point at him. "Probably saying that's the crazy guy's kid." Carl thought.  
Carl didn't know what he wanted to do at that point. He didn't know if he wanted to go after Enid or go talk with Lucas. Or if he didn't want to talk to anyone at all and just head back to the house.  
As he was deciding, Lucas turned and started walking away. Carl at that point made the choice to go after Lucas. He quickly caught up to him and walked next to him. "Hey, Lucas." He said.  
"What do you want?" Lucas replied, sounding a little hostile. This startled Carl cause he hadn't heard Lucas like that before.  
"What's up with you?"  
Lucas looked at if he was going to say something but thought otherwise. He then shrugged and just kept walking. "Nothing." He said, though Carl knew he was lying. There had to be something wrong if Lucas sounded hostile to him when he didn't know why.  
Carl didn't say anything at that point as the boys just walked together. He didn't expect Lucas to say anything else so he was surprised when he did, not turning to look or even stop walking.  
"I heard what happened to your friends. I'm sorry." He said quietly, not looking at Carl. "I hope your one friend recovers."  
"Yeah." Carl replied, not looking at Lucas either.  
"Tara, right?"  
Carl mumbled something in agreement as they continued to walk the streets together.  
"Do you want to go check on her? See if she is any better?" Lucas asked.  
Carl could hear it in his voice, there was something wrong with him and Carl wished he knew what.  
"Um, maybe later. I have too much on my mind right now. Not to mention I checked on her earlier this morning." Carl said. "Nothing has changed with her.  
"On your mind? You mean your dad?"  
"You saw?" The teen asked, slightly embarrassed by his dad's actions.  
"Close to the end of it, right after you got knocked down."  
"He isn't like that." Carl said, defending his father.  
Lucas finally stopped to look at him, letting out a breath before speaking. "I know your dad is a good man. I know he has good intentions. He just wants to keep you guys safe. I mean, he got you guys here all the way from Georgia, right?" He said. "I'm sure he'll be fine. My dad was the same. Did everything to keep me safe."  
Carl looked at Lucas and nodded. He did have a point, his dad would do anything to keep him, Judith, and the rest of the group safe. He has shown that time and time again.  
"I just worry what Deanna might do. I mean, he did draw a gun and point it at people." Lucas added. "Still trying to figure out how he even had that gun in the first place."  
"Do you think she would actually kick him out?" Carl asked.  
"I don't know." Lucas shrugged. "She might if she thinks he is enough of a threat. I've heard that she has exiled people before."  
Carl looked down, worried. If his dad got exiled from Alexandria, he would go with him. He wasn't going to leave his dad but this place was just starting to feel like a home. He didn't want to lose it now. Not after everything they've been through.  
"Look, Carl. Go home, get some rest. I'm sure it will be just fine. Deanna won't do anything without thinking long and hard about it." Lucas said, clearly upset. "I have to go do some thinking myself."  
Carl stared at Lucas for a second not really wanting to be alone right now. He wanted someone or something to keep his mind off of what happened. He was about to say something in protest but Lucas cut him off before he had the chance.  
"I'll see you later, Carl. Get some rest." He turned and left in the direction of his house leaving Carl there alone.  
He stood there for a few moments then walked back to his house, sitting down on the porch. A few people walked by and just looked at him, murmuring something to themselves or whoever they were with. It pissed him off when people talked about him practically right in front of him. He finally got tired of it and stormed inside, restraining himself from yelling at the top of his lungs. He wished he would have though, he probably might have felt a little better.  
He paced through the house for a time period that he didn't know. It had to have been at least an hour cause when he realized what he was doing he noticed his feet were tired. He sat down to relax but just as soon as he sat the door opened. Carl shot up to see who it was, hoping it may have been his dad.  
"Hey, Carl." It was Carol, holding Judith. "How are you doing?"  
Carl just shrugged, not really knowing.  
"Rosita is patching up your dad but he won't be home tonight." Carol told him, blunt and honest as always.  
"Where is he?"  
"Deanna had him put in one of the empty houses to cool down. You can probably go see him later, if not then tomorrow."  
"I can't see him now?" Carl asked, pretty much knowing what the answer was going to be.  
"It probably wouldn't be for the best at this moment. Wait a little bit, Michonne will probably come get you."  
Carl ran his fingers over his forehead and sat back down.  
"Will you be okay tonight? Will you be able to watch Judith? I can keep her tonight if you can't."  
"I'll...I'll be fine." Carl replied.  
Carol walked over to him, still holding Judith in her hands. "Nothing is going to happen to your dad, Carl. You know we won't let that happen. Try and get some rest tonight."  
Carol left Judith in her crib then made her way out. Carl went to check on Judith a while later. He fed and changed her then got her ready for bed. It didn't take her long to fall asleep, unlike how it was going to be for him. He knew his thoughts were going to keep him up tonight.  
Michonne did eventually came by a little later and they both went to check on his dad. Rick was still out, sleeping on a mattress on the floor. They both sat there and watch him for awhile, worry apparent on Carl's face.  
"I'll watch him tonight, Carl. Don't worry."  
"I want to stay." Carl protested.  
"No, you need to get some rest and there is no reason to sleep on the floor when you have an actual bed. Besides, you need to be there for your sister."  
Carl knew Michonne wasn't going to let him stay the night no matter how much he wanted to. "Can I stay a little longer?"  
Michonne looked at him and he could tell she wanted to say no. "Alright, but not much longer." She finally said.  
Carl stayed for at least another half hour before Michonne finally sent him home. He walked through the streets alone once again as he made his way home.  
When he finally got home he went to check on Judith once more who was still asleep, thankfully. Then, he went into his room, removed his shoes and his outer shirt and sat down on his bed. His mind went over everything that happened today. Finding out about Noah and Tara no more then 24 hours ago, getting somewhere with Enid, having no idea what was wrong with Lucas, and then his dad. His mind was exhausted but his body wasn't. At least, not yet.  
He laid back, wrapping his fingers behind his head, and stared at the ceiling. It wasn't until a few hours had passed before his eyes had finally started to get heavy. He got up, finished getting undressed, and laid down to sleep.  
He didn't know what time it was when he finally did get to sleep. All he knew was that his dreams that night weren't like the ones he normally had. Little did he know that the dream he had was actually about to happen in just a few hours in some form.

Well, not one of my favorites but it got things going a bit. I hate writing for Enid cause I never liked her but still had to do it for this chapter. Still, hope you liked it and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6: Things Fall Apart

Well, here it is. The final chapter. There isn't much to say here until the end. Enjoy.

* * *

Things Fall Apart

Carl woke to a familiar sound that morning, crying. He groaned as he lay there, slightly hoping that Judith would stop crying on her own. That hope died a minute later so he sat up and wiped his eyes. The teen got out of bed and made his way to his baby sister to check on her, not realizing that he wasn't even dressed.  
He opened the door to the nursery and walked over to his baby sister. "What's wrong, Judy? Bad dream?" He asked as he reached into the crib and picked her up and held her to calm her down.  
He held her and rocked her gently until she eventually calmed down. Carl held her a little longer after that then set her back in the crib where she fell back asleep, thankfully. He quietly left the room and thought about going downstairs to make himself some breakfast. It was also around that moment that he realized he was only in his boxers. With a shrug he then thought about trying to go back to sleep but realized that that probably wasn't going to happen. "Guess I should just jump in the shower and wake myself up." He thought.  
He walked into the bathroom and proceeded to get in the shower, stripping out of his boxers and pulling the curtain back. He stepped in and turned the water on, letting the warm water hit him as he tried to wake up.  
As he showered he began to remember some of his dream from last night.  
He saw two children playing catch in the yard with a third one watching nearby. Then one of the boys playing catch started to yell at the other boy, pointing at the girl watching. The other boy looked confused as he was yelled at. Carl couldn't remember what was said between the boys but the next part he remembered was the boy who was yelling took the ball and chucked it at the other boy. The ball hit the boy in the stomach and the boy fell down in pain. Then the yelling boy stormed off but what surprised Carl is that the other boy got up and chased after him in anger but wasn't able to catch him until he was far enough that he couldn't see him anymore. The boy fell once again. This time crying as the girl came up to him and kissed him on the cheek before leaving as well.  
That was all he remembered before Judith's crying woke him up. "What a strange dream." He thought as he showered.  
He finished his shower and finally got dressed for the day in his room. He went through the rest of his morning routine involving him and Judith. During the time he was playing with her, Carol came to check on him again. She informed him of the meeting that Deanna was holding later that night but Carl wasn't surprised by it. All he wanted right now though was his dad home and not going crazy.  
Carol left shortly after saying she had to go make a casserole or something for Pete though he had no idea why. Though he knew she had her way of doing things so he never asked.  
A little while later Carl had put Judith back in her crib so he could relax on the couch for a little bit. He was in the middle of reading a comic about a walking armory and his beautiful sidekick killing a group of thugs when he heard the door open. His head shot over to the door and saw his dad walk inside.  
"Dad!" Carl said, relieved to see his dad. Carl dropped the comic and quickly got up and walked over to him as his dad embraced him in a hug.

His dad didn't stay long after that. He already expected that his dad didn't want him going tonight before he even told him so he wasn't surprised. Still, he would have liked to go to speak for his father and to know what was going on. Instead, he would have that time to himself.  
Carl went back to the couch and sat back down, picking the comic back up and finishing where he left off. It ended the way he expected, the hero killed everyone and saved the day and he got to kiss the beautiful woman. He sighed as he put the comic down as he tried to decide what to do now.  
"Ron probably doesn't want anything to do with me right now and who knows where Enid is. Mikey is sick in bed. Lucas is probably home but could still be upset." He thought. "Guess I could take Judith for a walk."  
Carl walked upstairs to the nursery where his baby sister was, still in her crib. His dad had came to check on her before he went back out so she was awake. He walked over to her and smiled slightly as she made a joyful noise upon seeing her brother.  
He grabbed her bag with everything she could need and slung it around his shoulder before picking her up and taking her downstairs, outside and into her stroller.  
Carl walked through the streets with Judith trying to keep himself calm and his mind off tonight. He knew his dad would have it taken care of regardless, this was their home now after all. A few people waved to him but most of them didn't say anything, no doubt because of his dad. "Whatever." He thought. "Screw them. They don't know what it's like out there. Why my dad is like that."  
Carl tried to remain calm and at least enjoy what he could of the day but with all that was going on it was hard. Carl really wished he had someone to talk to right now but he knew everyone would be busy making sure they were ready for the meeting. Plus, he already pretty much ruled out everyone in his age group.  
Just then Carl looked over at one of the houses nearby and saw Enid on the porch. She noticed him but gave him no expression on her face at all, as always. He was just happy to see her. Maybe he would have someone to talk to now.  
"Carl." A voice said. It wasn't Enid cause her lips didn't move. Plus, it was a male's voice anyway. Then he recognized the voice just as he turned to look. It was Lucas who spoke and it was Lucas who was walking towards him. He wasn't able to discern what kind of mood he was in based off his expression.  
Lucas walked to the front of the stroller and bent forward slightly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Judith." He said. That moment Judith let out one of the happiest noises Carl has ever heard her make. Lucas gave a slight smile then looked at Carl.  
The boys looked at each other without saying a word. Seconds later, Carl felt some tension in the air. Something was about to happen.  
"How are you feeling?" Lucas asked, just loud enough for Carl to hear.  
"Um, fine. Deanna is holding a meeting tonight." He replied.  
"Yeah, I heard. It's for anyone who wants to show up. No doubt it's about your dad."  
"He has a plan." Carl said.  
"I wouldn't believe you if you said otherwise."  
"Are you going tonight?"  
Lucas looked at Carl in silence for a few seconds. "I don't think so. I don't really have any say in the matter. I haven't been here that long and I really don't know your dad."  
Carl knew that Lucas had a point there. He had never even met his father in the short time they have been here so what could he say on his father's behalf?  
Once more the boys looked at one another in silence for a few more seconds. Then Carl looked past Lucas at Enid and Lucas turned to see what he was looking at. He then looked back with a changed expression on his face, not one that showed peace or calm.  
"Can I ask you something?" Lucas asked.  
"Um, sure." Carl answered.  
"You followed Enid over the wall yesterday, didn't you?"  
Carl stared at Lucas, not sure where he was going with this. "Yeah, I did."  
"Why?" He asked before Carl could finish his response.  
"I...I didn't want her getting hurt."  
"Really? That's all?" Lucas asked, clearly not believing him.  
"Lucas, what is this about?" Carl retorted, trying to defend himself and switch the questions to him. Trying.  
"Carl, do you have an interest in Enid?"  
Carl thought about his reply for a second. Why did Lucas care so much about this? "Why wouldn't I be? She was out there like I was. She survived like me." Carl replied, getting a little aggressive, but not as much as Lucas did.  
"Yeah? So was I." Lucas said. "Longer then she was."  
Carl just became more and more confused. Why was Lucas acting like this?  
"Do you have a thing for her?" Lucas finally asked.  
"I uh...huh?" Carl asked, bewildered.  
"Just answer the question, please."  
Carl looked at Enid for a few seconds who was watching the scene in front of her.  
"Why wouldn't I?" He responded. "I mean...it's not like there is another option here anyway."  
The look Lucas gave him had to have been absolute pain. Then it quickly turned to anger.  
"No other option?!" Lucas almost yelled. Then what Lucas did next Carl could never have expected. The teen walked right up to Carl and swung on him, right in the jaw. Carl stumbled back, pressing his hand against where he was hit. "I didn't think you were that blind, Carl."  
Carl stood there, hand on his face as he just looked at Lucas unable to speak.  
"Well, that just made my choice so much easier." Lucas told him. "Take care, Carl."  
Carl watched Lucas walk off, not looking back at all. Carl remained there with his hand on his face trying to process what happened. A few seconds later Enid walked up to him and looked like she was able to say something. Instead she just looked at him and walked by though Carl thought he saw a faint smile. He watched her as she left and noticed something on one of the nearby lawns. Lying there in the grass was a baseball and glove.  
The teen didn't know how long he stared at those items. It was Judith's crying that brought him back. He walked over to calm her down before deciding what to do next. Should he try to find Lucas or just let it go? What the hell was Lucas even talking about? Why did he go off like that?  
Carl sighed loudly, exhausted from everything. What was going on? First his dad freaks out then Lucas. This was almost starting to be too much.  
Almost.  
The teen grabbed ahold of the stroller again and tried to finish his walk with Judith but his mind just kept wandering. Thoughts of his dad, Enid and Lucas flooded his head like streets in a hurricane. Multiple times he forgot where he was and had to look around to regain himself and his senses.  
"Sorry, Judy. We'll have to cut our walk short today." He said then turned home. All he wanted right now was a nap and to try and clear his head.  
When they arrived back at the house Carl took Judith inside and sat down on the couch with her. He played with her for a little bit until she needed fed and changed. He then finally got her down for a nap in her crib then went to his room and collapsed on his bed. Carl stared at the celling, trying to focus on a single point on it to keep his mind from wandering. A few times he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. This worked for a little bit but eventually his thoughts got the best of him. He groaned and got out of bed and made his way downstairs.  
He sat down on the couch as his mind went through everything that had happen so far that day. Well, more like the last 24 hours. He wanted relief from his thoughts but nothing he did worked anymore. What he needed right now was someone to talk to. That was all he ever needed. Someone to finally open up to and tell everything. There was no one in the group that he could do that with. It would just make him feel selfish after all that they went through. No, he needed someone in Alexandria to do that. Problem was everyone was weak here except for a handful of people who would actually understand.  
And one of those potential people punched him in the face earlier today.  
Carl looked outside and saw that the sun had started to go down. The meeting would be taking place soon. He wondered who would be there and what all would be said. Either way, something was going to happen tonight and something was going to change. Maybe his dad would finally get to these people and get them to understand what they have to do to survive now. Maybe.  
Eventually Carl got hungry and went into the kitchen to get something to eat. After he was finished he went upstairs to check on his sister. He wasn't surprised to find her awake. She was up and ready to play again so he took her downstairs once more and let her play with some of her toys as he watched her. It at least kept his mind off things for a while.  
Soon the sun was finally down and all life and commotion on the streets died down and ended. At least as far as he could tell. He knew people were at the meeting. Carl just continued to play with Judith to keep his mind off that meeting. He even showed her the music box they found on the way to Alexandria. They way she reacted to it and how mesmerized by it made him feel like she thought it was the greatest thing ever. At least till she found something else to entertain her.  
This time it was the inside of her eyelids. She had fallen asleep to it which made Carl laugh a little. He gently carried her to her crib and placed her inside it. He smiled at how peaceful she looked and wish he could be that at peace. The teen just looked at her for a moment before walking down the steps and outside onto the porch. He sat down in a chair and just enjoyed the night the best he could.  
That was when he heard the gunshot. He shot up and grabbed his knife. He could tell that the shot came from inside the walls so he ran to investigate. What he arrived to find surprised him.  
He saw his dad covered in blood. He saw Deanna on the ground holding her husband, Reg, then seeing that he was dead from a slit throat. He saw someone else on the ground in a puddle of blood and saw that it was Pete, his dad standing over him with a gun. He saw someone standing with Daryl and Aaron that took a moment to realize it was Morgan, someone he has only seen once and that was a few years ago. What had happened here?  
"Dad?"  
His dad turned and saw him, slowly lowering the gun in his hand. Well, Carl was able to figure out where the shot came from and what was shot. No, who was shot. His father had shot Pete. But how had Reg died? He saw Michonne's sword on the ground. Did Pete kill Reg?  
"Dad, what happened?"  
"Carl, I told you not to come." His dad said but his mind clearly on other things.  
"I heard a gunshot." Carl replied. "You expected me not to come see what happened?"  
"Go back to the house. I'll explain when I get back."  
Carl threw his hands up in protest and looked around again. This time he noticed some missing faces. Maggie and Glenn weren't there. Neither was Sasha or Gabriel. Rosita was most likely with Tara at the infirmary. He already expected Ron or Sam to not be there. Same with Enid and Lucas though he wished at least one of them would have been. Just so he knew where they were. Also, was that a walker on the ground?  
"Carl, I said I will explain when I get back." His dad said once more.  
Carl gave up and turned to head home, knowing arguing wouldn't get him anywhere. He made his way home, his mind trying to put the pieces of what happened together. Just another thing to add to the list of screwed up things to happen here.  
Carl walked through the door of the house with no idea of what to do with himself. He knew he wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon but his dad wasn't going to be walking through that door in the next few minutes either. Once again he was stuck with his thoughts and no one to talk to.  
The teen had no idea when or how he did but he ended up on the porch staring at the stars. His mind turned to Lucas. How he looked at him earlier. How he hit him, Carl's hand absentmindedly going to the spot on his face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He thought. "Friends don't punch friends in the face like that."  
Carl felt himself get madder and madder and decided to get to the bottom of this. He stormed down the steps and walked all the way to Lucas' house to confront him.  
The first thing he noticed when he arrived was that there wasn't a single light on in the house. It didn't matter to him though. He marched up the steps and started pounding on the door. After getting no response after a few seconds he starting pounding again.  
"Lucas! Open the damn door!" He yelled as he pounded. His anger just growing with each hit. It came to the point that he wasn't even hitting the door to get Lucas' attention, he was just hitting it cause it made him feel better. It felt therapeutic to him as he got to unleash some of his anger. He didn't even care if he woke anyone that may be sleeping with his banging and yelling.  
He kept yelling and banging until he finally collapsed at the door. He exhausted himself, physically and mentally. So much that when he felt his face he realized it was wet but he knew it wasn't sweat. Carl hadn't noticed till now that he had tears in his eyes. He had started crying sometime during it all. Lucas wasn't inside and he had no idea where he was.  
At that moment, Carl had a chilling realization. The dream he had last night just played out in front of him. Lucas and him were the boys, Enid was the girl. He sat there as he tried to regroup himself. Why was he feeling this way right now? Why had what happened today effected him like this?  
Carl finally mustered up the strength to get up and slowly stumble his way home. He ran his hand across his face to wipe off any tears left over as he walked back up the steps to his house. He saw that the door was slightly open though and it wasn't till a few seconds after the he figured out that his dad was probably home.  
Carl walked through the door, closing it behind him. "Dad?" He asked as he walked through the house looking for his father.  
"Carl." He heard his dad call from what sounded like the bathroom. Carl walked to where he heard his dad and he saw him staring at the bathroom mirror still covered in blood. "Where were you?"  
Carl stood in the door way, crossing his arms. "Blowing off stream I guess." He replied. "What happened?"  
His dad explained everything to him. How he found the gate open and walkers inside the walls. How Pete had arrived drunk with Michonne's sword and how he killed Reg. How Dianna was the one who told him to shoot Pete.  
How he wasn't going anywhere.  
Carl was glad to hear that it seemed like things worked out, but at what cost? Reg and Pete? Sure, Pete was beating his whole family and deserved to die but Reg didn't. Weak or not.  
"Carl, are you okay?" Rick asked his son with concern, clearly seeing something wrong with him.  
"Am I okay?" He asked barely above a whisper. He thought about how his relationship with Ron was going to change. He thought about Noah's death and Tara's injury. He thought about how he felt about Enid. He thought about how Lucas was missing. He thought about how his emotions ran wild at Lucas' door. What he knew was things were finally about to start changing here. "No. No, I'm not okay."  
Though he knew he had to be in for better days eventually.

* * *

Well, there it is. The last chapter of part one. I hope you liked it. I know you are probably mad at the cliffhanger/anticlimactic ending but I have my reasons. The reason this was only 6 chapters was because there were only a few Alexandria episodes were few in season 5. Don't worry, there will be a part two and it is already in the works and will be much longer and more eventful. I get a lot more to work with in season 6. I promise all your questions (if any) will be answered. Please let me know what you though and if you have any suggestions. I will take everything into consideration for part 2. Thanks for reading guys! Hope I did Carl and the show justice a bit with my story. Please read part 2 (title pending) when it's posted. =^.^=


End file.
